Surf spot guide · Gran Canaria, Spain
Rare but epic long righthander peeling past the Maspalomas lighthouse when W swells hit, with five-plus distinct performance sections.
Derecha del Faro sits directly in front of the iconic Maspalomas lighthouse at the southern tip of Gran Canaria, inside a natural protected area bordered by towering dunes and a coastal lake. The break only fires a handful of times per year, but when a large W or NW groundswell arrives it transforms into one of the most memorable waves on the island: a long, walling right that unravels through more than five distinct sections for 500 metres or more. The shape is slopey and steep rather than barrel-heavy, generating extended walls suited to vertical surfing, snaps and drawn-out carves. Wave power is moderate at the take-off and builds through the mid sections before the inside backwash zone complicates the exit. The boulder-and-sand bottom produces a well-covered, medium-paced ride that rewards committed surfing. Low to falling tide emphasises the wall and keeps sections connecting; higher water can flatten things out and cause the sections to back off. Consistent N winds provide the offshore angle that manicures the face.
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Often crowded when working, as word travels fast across Gran Canaria whenever a genuine W swell hits. The rarity of good conditions concentrates demand into a handful of sessions per year.
Rare epic right in a postcard biosphere reserve
Gran Canaria
Fast, wedging southern beachbreak famous for its powerful backwash that launches bodyboarders into inverted airs.
Gran Canaria
Summertime beachbreak in the heart of Maspalomas that fires on big E windswells, drawing crowds but delivering fun, accessible peaks.
Gran Canaria
Boulder bay south of Gran Canaria with long, mellow rights across multiple sections -- works in big W swells on any tide.
+9 MORE →Only paddle out when a genuine W or NW groundswell of 1.5m or more is running -- the break rarely works on anything smaller
Aim for low to falling tide to keep the sections linking
Study the backwash pattern before paddling out, it can catch you off guard on the inside
Pay the car park fee and arrive early -- when it is on, word spreads fast across the island
The shorter peaks either side of the lighthouse are a good warm-up option between the bigger sets
HAZARDS · KNOW BEFORE YOU PADDLE
Boulders under the sand make a wipeout at low water more consequential than it looks from the lineup
Drive to the Maspalomas lighthouse car park (paid). Walk directly onto the beach from the car park. Lifeguard, restrooms and showers present. No surf school or surf shop recorded at the break itself.
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